


Smokescreen

by WhydYouMakeHotNoodlesOnSuchAHotDay



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Closeted Character, M/M, Marijuana, Not Quite Sure If Comedy, Recreational Drug Use, Secrets, Sex, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:46:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21605512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhydYouMakeHotNoodlesOnSuchAHotDay/pseuds/WhydYouMakeHotNoodlesOnSuchAHotDay
Summary: Light is a secret pot smoker, but that's not the only thing he's trying to hide.
Relationships: L/Yagami Light
Comments: 11
Kudos: 86





	1. Wes Anderson Movies

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place just after the tennis match in episode 10 of the anime, and diverges from the anime from there.

L and Light had just finished their epic tennis match, and were chatting as they walked away from the tennis court.

"Well, just as I suspected, I lost," said L.

"Don't feel bad," said Light. "I can't remember the last time I had to try that hard."

L smiled and looked down.

Light continued. "Boy, I am thirsty. You want to grab a drink or something?"

"I don't drink alcohol," said L.

"Oh, neither do I. I meant, do you want to grab some coffee or something? I'd love to chat with you some more if you have time. I have to admit, I'm fascinated by your deduction skills."

L chuckled. "Yes, I would like that, but first, I have to tell you that—"

L was interrupted by a guy who jogged up to them. "Hey, Light," he said. 

Light smiled. "Hey Haruki. Ryuga, this is my friend Haruki. Haruki, Ryuga."

Haruki continued. "We're having a little get-together tonight at my place, around 6. You in?"

"I'll be there."

"So, are you bringing the—" Haruki mimicked smoking a joint. "—or should I—?"

Light raised his eyebrows (a microexpression which did not escape L's attention), then chuckled. "I have no idea what you're talking about! You know I wouldn't do that stuff."

Haruki glanced at L, and back to Light. "Right. Gotcha. No, I meant, the, uh..."

There was an awkward pause as Haruki failed to end his sentence, then Light spoke. "The Wes Anderson movies?"

"Huh?" said Haruki. "Uh, yes, the Wes Anderson movies."

Light turned to L. "I find Wes Anderson's use of overt displays of symmetry in his films to be fascinating. Most filmmakers wouldn't make such bold choices." Light turned back to Haruki. "Yes, I will be bringing those movies."

"God, you are such a nerd," said Haruki. "Anyway, I'll see you at 6." He waved and walked away. 

L looked at Light as he waved to Haruki. _The son of a police chief is secretly a marijuana user?_ thought L. _That is so ~~hot~~ intriguing. I must investigate this further._ L and Light continued walking. "I enjoy Wes Anderson movies as well," said L. "Is there room in your movie night for one more?"

Light chuckled. "This is kind of a friends-only thing that we're doing."

"It would be a way of establishing trust, though." L took a breath. "Light, although I cannot rule out a 1% chance of you being Kira—"

Light laughed. "You think I might be Kira?"

L continued. "—I had nevertheless considered asking you to assist us in the Kira investigation. Your impressive deductive skills would certainly come in handy. However, such a working relationship must be built on trust. Now, I must emphasize that I am solely concerned with exposing Kira, and not on petty matters such as, say, marijuana use."

Light smiled. "I think you're under the wrong impression. My friend, he has this weird sense of humor. I should tell him to tone it down before he gets people in trouble. I mean, can you imagine me, the son of a police chief, as a marijuana user?"

"Light, I think we both know the world is more complicated than that. Regardless, I view honesty as the more important thing, here, and I couldn't work with someone who kept a potentially compromising secret from me, especially on such a petty matter. Of course, if I were to show up to your friend's place, and you really were just watching Wes Anderson movies, I would be forced to admit that I was wrong."

Light stopped walking. "Ryuga..." Light waited as L turned and approached him. Light walked up to him and stood square to L, symmetrically. "Let's say, hypothetically, that I was a marijuana user. That is, let's say that I had a secret, and that I was hiding it from the rest of the world. It seems like it would only sharpen my reasoning abilities, not to mention give me a broader perspective on how people operate. As a policy matter, I'm not sure excluding everyone with a secret from the Kira investigation would be a good idea." 

"Funny," said L. "The last person who presented me with such a philosophy turned out to be gay."

L again noticed Light's microexpression, raising his eyebrows briefly, before chuckling and taking a small step back so he was no longer standing square to L. _He has a tell,_ thought L. _Or maybe he's just reacting like anyone would to an uncomfortable topic of conversation._

"What exactly are you implying?" chuckled Light.

L deployed one of his most potent tools: awkward silence. 

Light's smile dimmed, and he continued. "Anyway, just about everyone has a secret of some sort, and as a policy matter—"

"As a policy matter..." repeated L with a smile and a nod.

Light chuckled. "And as a policy matter, it's probably best not to be too restrictive to people who might have something to hide as long as it's not too troubling."

L and Light continued walking. L spoke. "Your philosophy has merits, but I'm surprised you'd pass up a chance to prove me wrong. I wasn't kidding about my enjoyment of Wes Anderson movies."

"You know what? Let me text Haruki and see if you can come."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I the only one who thinks it'd be hot if Light was a pot smoker?
> 
> Anyway, don't do drugs, kids.


	2. Mission Accomplished

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light and L discuss the Kira investigation, then meet at Light's friend's place.

L and Light entered the coffeeshop, sat down, and discussed the Kira investigation. 

"That's very impressive," said L. He crouched in his seat across from L at the coffeeshop. "I've asked a number of detectives the same question, and only you immediately came up with a scenario in which Kira is talking to the investigator."

"Right, but it's a double-edged sword," said Light. "The more impressive my answers are, the more of a suspect I become."

"Yes, that is true." L stared at Light, his thumb resting against his lower lip. "But you clearly have a keen mind for detective work. How long has it been a hobby of yours?"

Light leaned back. "Well, I started borrowing books on the subject from the library when I was in sixth grade. It's been a passion of mine ever since."

"As a top student, you must spend a lot of time studying. Does passion drive all of your achievements?"

"Well, not all of them. But I wanted to get into a top university, so that I could be a detective like my dad."

"I, too, have a passion for detective work—"

Light chuckled. "Well, obviously."

"—but in retrospect..." L looked off into the distance. "Light, are you familiar with the Best Little Boy In The World hypothesis?"

"Uh, no."

"It posits the following: Since many adolescents with homosexual desires—"

Light raised his eyebrows.

"—cannot fully channel their energy into social activity that would be accepted by society, they instead focus on being accepted for their academic achievements. Of course, that didn't stop me from dating later on." L paused. "Oh, come on, Light. Don't give me that look."

Light giggled. "I wasn't giving you a look."

"I will have you know I can be quite seductive... when I feel like it. For what it's worth, my first time dating was with a tennis partner."

"Huh."

"But your case is different. You're a very high-achieving student, but you don't feel like you have to please authority figures all the time. Despite being the son of a police chief, you smoke marijuana—"

"Now hold on—"

"—or at least hang out with people who do. And I assume you have a healthy dating life, do you not?"

Light chuckled. "Well, not exactly."

"Oh?"

"I mean I have dated, but I haven't had a steady girlfriend. I guess I've been busy with my studies."

"I wonder if Kira is a high achiever."

Light checked his cell phone. "So my friends are fine with you coming with me to hang out. Do you mind if I leave now so I can stop by my house to pick up the movies?"

"So soon?"

"Let me give you Haruki's address, and we can meet there at 6."

* * *

Light entered his room, put his book bag down, and ran to his computer. Ryuk floated behind him. 

"Watcha looking at, Light?"

"So L, of all people, met with me at the university today to play tennis."

"Oh!"

"But a friend of mine ran up to me when I was with L and asked if I wanted to hang out and smoke pot. Not exactly the kind of behavior you'd want to flaunt in front of someone working with the police."

"Uh huh."

"So, I came up with some excuse about bringing over some Wes Anderson movies. But I don't have any of those movies, so I'm trying to torrent some right now. I don't know if I'll have the time, though."

"Huh."

"Then L said he liked Wes Anderson movies, and he asked if he could come, too, and I said he could. Maybe it would've been easier if I had just said no, but it would be good if I could gain L's trust." Light sighed. "Well, it's downloading. I have fifteen minutes before I have to leave. Um, Ryuk, do you mind if you leave so I could have some privacy?"

Ryuk chuckled. "The arrogance of you humans. Wanting privacy, as if I haven't seen what you're about to do countless times already."

Light took some tissues and walked to his bed. "Look, Ryuk, if you're not going to leave, I'm just going to do it anyway." 

Ryuk didn't move. 

Light sat down on the bed and unbuckled his belt and pants. He slid his pants and underwear partially off, exposing his rock-hard dick. He then laid down, with his legs hanging over the side of the bed, and started jacking off. He rubbed his chest, first over his shirt, then up and under it. As he did so, he sighed and thrusted his hips up and down. "Oh, God," he whispered.

"I changed my mind, this is awkward," said Ryuk. As Ryuk floated to the door, a knock was heard. 

"Light?" yelled Sayu on the other side of the door. "Are you there? Could you help me with my Earth Science homework?"

Light sighed. "Not right now!" he yelled.

"What?" yelled Sayu.

 _Dammit, Sayu_ , thought Light. He wiped his pre-cum on his leg, then pulled up his pants and buckled his belt. He walked to the door and opened it. "What, Sayu!"

"What's silt?"

"It's dirt. Is that it?"

"Well, my homework problem asks about the difference between sand, silt, and clay."

"I think it's about particle size. Sand has the biggest particles, then silt, then clay."

"Um, I'm not sure that's what's being asked. You know what, let me go find my worksheet. I'll be back in five minutes!"

"Sayu!" Light called after her, but Sayu left. 

"Heh heh heh," chuckled Ryuk.

Light sighed, and walked over to his computer. He sighed again. He checked his watch. "Guess I'll have to go with plan B."

* * *

L and Light entered the house Haruki and his roommates were renting. Haruki walked up to greet them.

"Hey, Light."

"Hey, Haruki. Don't worry about Ryuga, he's cool."

L and Haruki waved to each other.

Haruki spoke. "So, Light, did you bring the 'Wes Anderson movies'?"

Light lifted his hand and unfurled a bag of weed. "Right here."

Light and Haruki laughed, and L looked on. _Is Light out of his mind?_ though L. _Although if he's Kira and he's trying to throw me off his scent, mission accomplished._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There should be a tag for Psychoanalysis Masquerading As Smut.


	3. Cinnamon Sticks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L hangs out with Light and his pot-smoking friends.

L sat on the floor near the TV. He picked up the Rock Band guitar controller as people he didn't know got ready to play the other instruments. The song Dirty Little Secret began. L fumbled with the controller and missed many of his marks. _This second-hand marijuana smoke is, no doubt, dulling my reflexes_ , he thought. _Not to mention my deductive abilities. But the view into Light's life may prove to be quite valuable._

Once L's turn ended (he scored poorly), he handed the controller to someone else, then stood up to leave for the bathroom. As he left, he looked around the room. _Light's really going to town on those potato chips_ , thought L. Light was sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaning back against a couch, transfixed by the screen, with the potato chip bag cradled within his legs. L left to use the bathroom. 

When L was done, he encountered Light in the hallway outside the bathroom. 

"Ryuga," Light began, "I just wanted to say I apologize for not being completely honest earlier." He chuckled. "I guess you know a secret about me now."

"And you've learned something about me as well," said L.

Light's eyebrows raised. "And what's that?"

"That I know your secret."

Light chuckled and grinned as he looked at L. Light swayed slightly. Light giggled again.

L realized that he would inevitably lose this staring contest, so he continued. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you wanted to be caught."

Light chuckled and shook his head. "No, Ryuga, it's just a little something called 'trust'." 

Light took his hand out of his pocket and put it on L's shoulder. L glanced down and noticed Light's erection straining against his pants. Light noticed L's glance, stifled his grin, and quickly put his hand back in his pocket to make things less visible. _How does someone this horny,_ thought L, _not masturbate the entire time we surveilled him?_

Light cleared his throat and continued. "Oh, by the way, we're ordering some pizzas. Do you have any requests? You can have anything your heart desires."

"Hmm. Reese's Pieces."

Light froze, then smirked, then snickered, then doubled over giggling like an idiot. L grinned in observation. Finally, Light regained his composure. "I'm sorry, Ryuga, but there's no way I'm ordering that on a pizza."

"Oh, all right. Uh... mushrooms and cheese. Wait, do you have a menu?" Light found a menu, and L decided to go with cinnamon sticks instead. 

While Light left the house to make a call, L wandered into the kitchen. He noticed a hazardous waste sticker on the fridge. _Funny,_ he thought. On the upper half of the fridge was a white board with quotes attributed to various individuals. L noticed a quote attributed to Light: "I think that that's too many mushrooms". _Light has never seemed less likely to be Kira_ , thought L. _Likelihood is maybe... negative 2 percent. It's nice to see he's adjusting to college, though._

Light re-entered the house through the door in the kitchen, and a girl entered the kitchen from the living room at the same time. "Light," she said, "did you order the pizza?"

Light stood still a second, then looked through his phone. "Um, excuse me," said Light as he left. 

The girl muttered to no one in particular. "It's not everyday that you see a fricken' brainiac like Light get this baked."

"Indeed," said L. "I had better check up on him to ensure the order of my cinnamon sticks."

* * *

When L exited the house through the kitchen, Light was finishing up his order on the phone. 

"...and one pizza with half olives, artichokes, and mushroom, and half Hawaiian." Light turned and glanced at L. "And could we also have an order of cinnamon sticks? Actually, make that two." Light gave them the address and wrapped up the call. He turned to L. "Hey, Ryuga. Um... Oh, there was something I wanted to tell you."

"I'm listening," said L. 

"I just wanted to apologize for not being completely honest earlier." Light chuckled. "I guess you know a secret about me now."

"You already said that."

Light's eyes grew wide, and he froze. He rubbed his forehead. He chuckled. "Did I... mention something about 'what the heart desires?'"

L was feeling mischievous. "Yes."

Light swallowed. "Well, I'm sure that whatever I said was said out of respect and admiration for you."

L paused for about five seconds, then spoke. "I think there was more to it than that."

Light took a breath, then looked into L's eyes. "Well, um, I suppose you know two secrets about me, now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My family had a cat that said "L".


	4. Red Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light returns home late at night.

Around 11 P.M. that night, Light walked up to his house. _Mom should be asleep_ , he thought. _If I go quietly up the stairs and don't turn on the lights, I should be fine._ He quietly turned the knob on the front door and pushed it open. He squinted at the light coming from the kitchen. He slipped inside the house, then quietly closed the door behind him.

"Light, you're back late," said Sayu, emerging from the kitchen.

Light waved to her and hoped the darkness was enough so that he wouldn't have to attempt a smile. "Hey, Sayu. Don't mind me, I'm going straight to bed."

Sayu walked over to a light switch and flipped it. Light squinted and frowned.

"Wow, your eyes are red," said Sayu. She sniffed the air. "Have you been smoking?" She sniffed again. "Doesn't smell like cigarettes..."

"Good night, Sayu," Light said as he walked to the stairs.

* * *

Light entered his room, turned on the light by his computer, and sat down. He folded his arms on his desk in front of him and put his head down.

"So what have you been up to?" asked Ryuk, who moved through the wall into Light's room.

Light sobbed into his arms.

"Ooh, did I miss something?" asked Ryuk.

Light squeezed his fists, took a breath, then tried to pull himself together as he sat up and faced Ryuk, wiping the tears from his eyes with his arm. "Ryuk, I... I don't expect you to understand this, but sometimes... humans develop feelings for other humans, which you try to keep to yourself—" Light sniffed. "—but sometimes they slip out. And you know it's bad, and you try your hardest to contain your emotions... but it just slips out anyway. And it happens again and again, and each time you wonder how you could be so stupid, but that doesn't stop you from having these moments of weakness."

"I have observed such behavior in humans many times before," said Ryuk.

"As have I, in myself." Light sighed. "To be honest, I don't know exactly what I said. But I remember having—" Light sighed again. "— _warm feelings_ for this person, that I basically just met, and I was talkative, and I apparently blurted out something about my heart's desire. And, I know you're going to make a big deal about it, but this person... was L."

"Oh! Now _that's_ interesting!"

"Would you shut up, Ryuk?" hissed Light. "This isn't a game!"

Ryuk chuckled. "I thought you said you were good with the ladies."

Light sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I am good with them, but it's not where my true interests lie."

Ryuk chuckled.

Light continued. "Anyway, I—"

Ryuk chuckled even louder.

" _Anyway_ , I initially forgot I said something like this to L, but when I talked with him later, well, based on his responses, the only explanation is that I must have confessed some feelings for him."

"Ooh!" said Ryuk.

Light glared at Ryuk, then continued. "I told him he now knew two secrets about me, the first being the marijuana use. And after I said that, I basically just avoided him for the rest of the party." Light sighed. "All I needed to do was to join the Kira investigation task force and find out L's true identity, but instead I've confessed a gay attraction to someone who knows my dad. Granted, L also appears to be gay, and he didn't really respond to what I said, so maybe I shouldn't jump to conclusions about what he thinks." Light sniffed again. "Maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe if I just pretend that nothing happened, then— Ryuk, where are you going?"

Ryuk had floated his head up through the ceiling. "I wasn't going anywhere," he said with a muffled voice. Ryuk sank back down.

Light leaned back in his chair. He smiled, though his face was still red and puffy. "You know, this might actually be a good thing. For once, I confessed my feelings to someone who isn't straight. For all I know, he might actually like me back. Imagine liking someone who actually likes you back."

Light paused in reflection for a few seconds. Then his eyes widened.

"Wait, what's wrong with me?" said Light. "How could I be so _weak?_ L already has the resources of the Japanese police behind him. Imagine how easy it would be for him if the man he's trying to catch has _feelings_ for him. No, I— Ryuk? Ryuk! Where are you going?"

Ryuk had floated up to his waist through the ceiling. He sank back down. "Sometimes human owners of a Death Note are too stupid to realize that shinigami are not their own personal therapists. I'm not saying that you are one of those humans... but I'm not saying that you're not, either."

Light stared blankly at Ryuk. "Good night, Ryuk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Ryuk, do you want some apples?"
> 
> "Huh?"
> 
> "Well, how do you like them apples?" Light flipped Ryuk off with both hands.


	5. Pet Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L meets with the Kira investigation team, then goes to the university and meets with Light to invite him to the team.

The next morning, L and the Kira investigation team were meeting in a hotel suite. L crouched on a chair, dangling a lemon-glazed doughnut in front of him and nibbling at the glazing. He took a sideways bite of the doughnut and swallowed it.

"Asahi," said L to Soichiro, "I don't know how you'll react to this, but I met with your son yesterday, and I think he made a pass at me."

The task force erupted in anger. 

"Ryuzaki!" yelled Soichiro. "What are you saying?"

"What's wrong with you?" shouted Matsuda. "Don't you know how inappropriate it is to say that?"

"Are you out of your mind?" yelled Aizawa. "You can't just throw around accusations like that!"

L was unmoved. "First, as I've made clear many times before, Light is a suspect in the Kira investigation. Understanding how he handles secrecy would obviously be of interest to us. And second, I said I _think_ he made a pass at me. When he spoke to me, he seemed to believe that he was confessing something about what his heart desires."

"Ryuzaki," said Matsuda. "Are you _sure_ he was talking about you?"

"Hold on," said Aizawa. "Regardless of Ryuzaki's impression of the situation, none of this is any of our business."

L spoke. "I should mention that he was under the influence of marijuana at the time. That probably contributed to his forgetfulness."

"Now I _know_ you're lying!" shouted Soichiro. "Light would never do anything like that!"

"What good does this do?" said Matsuda to L. "This isn't going to help us solve the Kira case. You're just making people upset. And what do you have against gay people, anyway?"

"Nothing, Matsui. I am gay."

Murmurs of surprise came from the team. Matsuda raised his eyebrows. 

L spoke while chewing on a piece of glazed doughnut. "Anyway, I'm not saying we should go out and _arrest_ him—" L swallowed the piece of doughnut. "—I'm just saying you should keep what I said in mind as we continue our investigation. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to leave for class." L finished his doughnut and started to leave. "And Asahi..."

Soichiro looked up at L. 

"Despite the small chance that your son is Kira, I would like him to join the investigation team. His reasoning skills are very good, and I think he would be a great help to us. Could you let him know that I am interested in inviting him to the team? Please call him soon, before I meet with him on campus, so that my identity is confirmed."

Soichiro scowled. "Alright."

"Thank you, Mr. Asahi." L left the room. 

Soichiro scowled into his coffee. 

Matsuda spoke. "I'm sure Ryuzaki was just confused by the situation—"

"That's enough," said Soichiro.

* * *

L and Light were across from each other at a table in a quiet corner of one of the libraries on campus. Light sat in his chair while L crouched in his. _Now what did Light mean when he said he had two secrets?_ thought L. _He seemed nervous last night, but he's well-composed now. I wonder how long his calm demeanor will remain if I keep digging._ L paused. _What does it mean that I had a dream about him last night? Light and I were sitting at a breakfast table in a hotel, and he was smoking a joint. He was high and ~~adorable~~ easy-going. Hmm._

"So," began L, "as you know, I think you'd be a great asset to our investigation, and despite the fact that you are still a suspect, I would like to invite you to join the investigation."

Light smiled. "Sure," said Light, "I'd love to join the investigation."

"Perfect." L gave Light the name of the hotel he was staying at. "That business is taken care of. Now there was this question I wanted to ask you. At last night's party, you mentioned you had _two_ secrets. The first was your marijuana use—"

Light smiled and glanced around to make sure everyone else in the library was indeed out of earshot.

"—but you never specified what your second secret was. What _was_ your second secret, Light Yagami?"

Light raised his eyebrows, then chuckled. "Um, Ryuga, it's embarrassing to admit this, but—" Light looked down at the table. "—I think I may have gotten _pretty stoned_ last night." Light looked at L. "This second secret that you mentioned could've been anything. Maybe my secret was that I had a pet dragon that only I could see." Light shrugged. 

L stared at Light as he pressed his lips with his thumb. "You mentioned it had something to do with a heart's desire."

Light chuckled. "Well, again, I was pretty stoned, and that conjures up all sorts of—" Light looked to the side. "—weird emotions."

"These emotions weren't about me, were they?" L smiled. 

Light chuckled more loudly. "Okay, I see where you're coming from now. I don't remember exactly what I said, but to be clear, I am straight. I don't have anything against gay people, and I hope LGBT people get all of the respect and rights and love that they deserve, but my interests lie with women."

L smiled and stared at Light for a few seconds. 

Light smiled and awkwardly glanced to the side. 

"Alright, Light." L paused and smiled again. "You know, I had a lot of fun at that party you invited me to, and I actually have something embarrassing to admit myself: I'm curious about what it's like to be under the influence of marijuana. If you—" 

Light chuckled and interrupted him. "Ryuga, I'm kinda embarrassed by what happened last night. It might be a while, if ever, before I... partake in that kind of thing again."

L nodded and dismounted from his chair. "I understand. Anyway, we will text you with a time when you can meet with our team. We'll make sure it's coordinated with your class schedule."

Light stood from his chair. "Ryuga, the Kira investigation is clearly far more important that attending every single class. If—"

"Well, well, well. First, Light Yagami smokes pot. Next, he starts skipping class."

"And next thing you know, you'll find out I'm Kira."

L stared at Light.

"That was a joke."

"If you say so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Random thoughts:
> 
> \- The dream L had is based on a dream I had last night (though about a real person, not Light), which was probably caused by me thinking of this fic a lot recently. 
> 
> \- Light is a chucklefuck, in that he chuckles a lot. 
> 
> \- I think I'm aiming for a vaguely Eyes Wide Shut vibe, but this fic needs more Christmas trees.
> 
> \- As usual, the title highlights the most important part of the chapter.
> 
> \- Yes, L acts like an ass in this chapter.


	6. Christmas Trees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayu finds Light's notebook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those looking for some high hijinks from Light and L, don't worry, I'll get to it soon, but not in this chapter.

Light returned home around 9 P.M. He walked up the stairs to his room. _Schoolwork, being Kira, and now being on the Kira investigation committee,_ he thought. _It'll be like I have three jobs._

As Light was about to enter his room, Sayu approached him.

"Oh, hi, Light. So, um, there's something I should tell you."

Light turned toward Sayu. "Yes?"

"Mom decided it's been way too long since she cleaned your room, so Mom and I tidied up in there."

Light squeezed his eyes closed in frustration, then opened them. "I thought I made it clear that _I_ would be the one to clean my own room."

"Uh huh, but Mom was pretty persuasive. Not to mention _thorough_. I told her that your room already looked about as clean as it could be, but she insisted on cleaning under the bed, wiping the dust under the furniture, making sure your books were all arranged neatly, that sort of thing. Anyway, I just realized when you came in, that I put a notebook of yours in the wrong place. I'm sorry! I know you're particular about where you put things."

Light's eyes bulged open, but he tried to remain calm. "Where did you find this book, and where did you put it?"

"I found it in one of your drawers, and I put it on one of your shelves. It had a bunch of names in it."

 _Calm down, Light_ , he thought to himself, even as his heart beat faster and faster and he was wondering if he would have a panic attack. _Don't jump to conclusions._ "I—"

"You're not a bad artist, you know." Sayu giggled nervously after saying this.

 _Oh, *that* notebook_ , thought Light. He sighed. _Crap, *that* notebook._ "I—"

Sayu interrupted Light again. "Who's 'Sota Saito', if you don't mind me asking?" She smiled.

Light sighed. "No one. Anyway, I have work to do." He pointed at Sayu. "Do not go in my room again. Understood?"

"Yes. Sorry!" She bowed.

Light sighed, and entered his room, locking the door behind him. The room was practically identical to its usual tidy state. Ryuk was laying on his bed. Light scowled at him and made a shooing gesture like he was trying to remove a cat. Ryuk grudgingly stood up.

Light walked over to his bookshelf, removed his misplaced notebook, and put it back in one of his drawers.

He closed the drawer.

He paused.

He opened the drawer again. He took out his notebook, and looked through it.

Memories from the past few years came flooding back. Amateur poetry featured on many pages, and others had rankings of guys in his class, or sometimes the name of a crush written over and over. _This must be what Sayu meant when she said there were a lot of names_ , he thought. He flipped through more pages. Drawings of nude, fit men featured prominently, from a past attempt to be a serious artist.

"I've never seen a Death Note used like that!"

Light was startled by Ryuk, who was looking over his shoulder. Light glared at Ryuk. "This isn't a Death Note."

"Oh, really," Ryuk deadpanned. Ryuk leaned toward the notebook and pointed at a drawing of a heart around the name "Sota". "Who's Sota?"

"He was..." Light sighed. "It's a long story."

* * *

Around the same time, Soichiro had just arrived home.

"Hello, Sachiko," he said to his wife.

"Hello, Soichiro," she said. "I'm sorry you missed dinner, but I could heat up some leftovers for you if you'd like."

"I would like that." He smiled.

"I, uh, do have something rather sensitive that I have to discuss with you."

"Oh?"

"We can discuss it at the kitchen table."

Sachiko preheated the oven and sat down. Soichiro joined her.

"So I decided to clean Light's room today."

"Oh, he's a grown man now. I think he can take care of his own room."

Sachiko leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice. "I found... marijuana in his room."

Soichiro's eyes gradually widened. Then he sighed. "I will have to have a talk with him after dinner."

Sachiko stared at him. "You're taking this awfully well. I would've thought you'd be outraged. He shouldn't bring an illegal substance into our house."

Soichiro paused. "Do you remember three years ago, when we thought that Light had... run away?"

"But then it turned out he had just stayed at a friend's house without telling us."

Soichiro nodded. He paused.

"Why did you bring that up?" asked Sachiko.

"I don't know," said Soichiro. "I think it's sometimes better to focus on the big picture than to make a mountain out of a molehill."

* * *

Light sat down in his chair, looked at his notebook, and looked up at Ryuk, who floated in the center of his room.

"Sota was a friend of mine," said Light, speaking quietly and matter-of-factly. "I had known him online since I was 13, on a forum for gay teenagers. Three years ago, when I was 15, we decided that we should meet in person. So, on this day, I left a note for my parents, explaining that I was going to be visiting a friend. And then I left, at 7 in the morning. We met at Amusement Park Yomiuriland to see the Jewellumination. They have these beautiful lighting displays. Sota thought it was quite romantic, actually. I... actually had my first kiss with him near the Christmas trees. We talked a great deal about our lives, the kind of things we couldn't really tell anyone else. Gushing about... guys. Asking each other if we've done so-and-so with anyone, which was 'no', of course, neither of us had any experience at all. Ultimately, though, the chemistry never really clicked with us. And the day ended badly as well. We stayed too late and missed the train home. We had to sleep on the sidewalk, curled up on the concrete, trying not to freeze to death. Then, finally, the first glimmer of sunlight came, and so did the train, and then we went to our respective homes..." Light took a breath. "...and lied to our parents about where we went. I was surprised Dad took it as well as he did... I think. It's that kind of thing where... you're ashamed when your parents yell at you for doing something bad, but when they're quiet it really freaks you out."

Ryuk just sat on Light's bed.

Light put his notebook back in the drawer. "You know what? You've been patient. I should go downstairs and get you an apple."

Ryuk's face lit up.

Just as Light stood up to walk to the door, he heard a knock and a voice at the door.

"Light? It's your Dad."

Light walked up to the door and opened it. "Uh, hi, Dad. I talked with Ryuga earlier today, and—"

Soichiro sighed. "Your mother was searching your room earlier today, and found marijuana."

Light's eyes bulged open. "I'm so, so sorry." Light bowed to Soichiro. "Some University friends of mine suggested I try it, and—"

"Suffice it to say I never want that substance in my house ever again. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Dad."

Soichiro sighed. "Light, you know that your mother and I, and your sister, we all love you very much, and we would support you no matter what." Soichiro smiled. "Any way that you choose to live your life would be okay with us. You don't have to worry."

Light chuckled nervously. "Okay, Dad."

"Anything you want to tell us, we will accept you with open arms."

Light nodded. "Okay, Dad."

"Is there anything you want to tell us?"

Light chuckled again. "As I said, I will _never_ bring marijuana into—"

"Anything else, I mean."

"Uh, no, Dad."

"Are you sure there's nothing else you want to tell us?"

"No, Dad. Nothing at all."

Soichiro sighed. "Well, if there's anything you want to share with us, we'll be there for you."

"I know, Dad. Thank you."

"Good night, son."

"Good night, Dad."

Soichiro left, and Light closed and locked his door. 

_What the fuck was that about?_ thought Light. _Does everybody know? Why did I leave out so much evidence? I need to be much more careful._

Light walked over to sit on his bed, and started taking off his clothes. 

"I'm going to bed now, Ryuk. Goodnight."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" said Ryuk. "You think your life is difficult now, wait until..."

Light stood up. "Fine, I'll go get you an apple."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Random thoughts:  
> \- My brain has already left for the holidays. Happy I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore... Day to all who celebrate it. 
> 
> \- For the sake of this story, Jewellumination did exist back in the mid-2000s. Sadly, my team of fact-checkers all decided to leave for vacation at the same time.


	7. Do Stuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light begins his first day on the Kira investigation team, and discovers that a second Kira has sent video tapes to a TV station.

The next day, Light woke up at 4 A.M., and couldn't get back to sleep. His mind drifted to the Kira investigation team, what the first meeting would be like, and how to stop L and evade the investigation.

 _He's got me in a corner,_ thought Light. _I want L within my grasp, but how close can he be if we're just partners in an investigation? Maybe telling him that I wouldn't be smoking pot anytime soon was a mistake. He said he was interested in trying it. That would be a goldmine into L's mind, not to mention it would help us relax and get to know each other better. But last time I smoked pot, I evidentally ended up confessing some feelings for him. So, even if I tell him I change my mind about the pot, I could end up confessing my feelings again. How do I deal with this?_

Light imagined conversations with L, with L pointing out the weak spots in Light's plans. What if L knew what Light knew? What if L knew _everything?_ How would L judge the situation? In fact, if L knew everything, he would certainly know one weakness of Light's, and Light knew L wouldn't be limited to conventional interrogation techniques.

As Light lay in bed, imagining successive stages of L's interrogation, he slipped off his pajama pants and boxers and squeezed his dick.

* * *

That afternoon, after a long day of classes, it was finally time. Light was brought to the Kira investigation team meeting, and after greetings with the other investigators, he was brought up to date on a recent development: There were new Kira videotapes which had been sent to a television station but were never aired. The tapes, with just voice-filtered audio and a display of the word "Kira", demanded that L present himself publicly in four days. Light was reviewing the tapes at L's request.

 _An *imposter*! They're going to ruin everything!_ thought Light. He sighed. _Well, let's look on the bright side. Being part of the investigation means I have some control over how this all plays out._ Light glanced over at L, who seemed to be watching Light more than the TV. _I need to figure out some way to keep L within my grasp._

"Any thoughts, Light?" asked L.

Light paused. "Well, the tone of their speech, and their selection of the new victims, seems distinctly different from what we'd expect from Kira. We also know they killed the detective and the two officers outside of the television station when Kira supposedly needs both a name and a face to kill. I'd say this is likely the work of a _second_ Kira, one who only needs a face to kill." Light smiled, proud of his brilliant deduction.

"That's _very_ impressive," said L. "I came to the same conclusion, but it's much more convincing to have someone else arrive at this possibility independently. You've been a great help. Now, our top priority is to stop this second Kira. He sympathizes with Kira, but lacks his sophistication." L paused. "Perhaps if we make a fake message from Kira, then we can lure him into a trap."

Light nodded. "You took the words right out of my mouth. I see why you're so highly praised." Light smiled at L.

"Light, could you do a favor for us and create this fake message?"

* * *

Work continued. It was around 7 P.M., and Light decided now was as good a time as any to talk to L in private. L was in the kitchenette area of the hotel suite, sampling sweets that Watari had delivered, and Light walked over to him.

"Hey, Ryuzaki." Light leaned against a wall and smiled coyly.

"Hey, Light," said L, barely looking up from the sweets.

"I realize we're busy right now, but yesterday you voiced an interest in, you know, doing stuff..." Light grinned. "You wanna do stuff? You know, stuff to help us relax?"

L chuckled. "That's _incredibly_ bold, bringing this up now, considering that I could be dead in days—" L popped a cherry cordial into his mouth. "—if this plan with the fake Kira message fails."

Light smiled and nodded. "I understa—"

"Still," continued L, "we've already finished the fake message. There would be diminishing returns if we stayed up all night working on it. I accept your invitation."

Light's eyes widened. "Oh, okay."

"In fact, if we can do it tonight, all the better. No point in waiting until I'm dead." L stared at Light, almost daringly.

 _Does he suspect something?_ thought Light. _Doesn't matter. I need to do this._ "Oh, sure. Let me just call my friend and see if we can hang out at his place."

* * *

Light stood outside the hotel as he finished up his phone call with his friend Haruki. He had stepped outside for privacy.

"Thanks, Haruki," said Light. "I greatly appreciate it. We'll be there soon." Light ended the call.

Ryuk, who was floating nearby, chuckled. "You seem happy. Forgot what happened last time?"

Light answered Ryuk by keeping his phone next to his ear and speaking quietly to avoid suspicion. "I know what you're thinking. Last time I smoked, I apparently confessed something about my heart's desire to L." Light smiled. "So how do I keep from inadvertently blurting out something like that again?"

Light smiled. Ryuk didn't respond.

Light continued. "Well, the one way I can guarantee that I don't accidentally blurt out something, is to do it on purpose. When I meet with L later, I'm going to pretend to be a closeted gay man with a crush on him."

Ryuk paused. " _That's_ certainly original."

"This might also allow me to keep closer tabs on L. And as a bonus, this is something Kira would never do, not in a million years."

"You sound nervous."

Light grinned. "That's awfully perceptive of you. But the plan is foolproof in its simplicity. The only question is, how does L respond?"

* * *

Soon, Light and L arrived at Haruki's house, and the three of them sat in front of the TV, watching some animated show but nothing in particular. Light sat next to L, with Haruki off to the side. It was almost surreal for Light to watch the world's greatest detective take hits off of a bong. L had a coughing fit each time he did so. Light took some hits too, but dialed back from his usual level to avoid getting as high as he did last time.

"How're you feeling?" murmured Light to L.

"Oh, my head's swimming," said L, staring off into the distance, "but it's not a bad experience."

 _Well, we're settled in,_ thought Light. _Time to put my plan into action._

"Um, Ryuga?" asked Light. "Could we go into the hallway to discuss something?"

"Alright," said L.

They walked into the hallway, and Light stood in front of L, shivering with nervousness.

 _Calm down,_ thought Light to himself. _I am an actor, portraying a closeted gay man confessing his attraction for another man. Just execute this performance as if you were an actor._

"Ryuga," Light said, softly. "This is a little bit awkward to bring up, but yesterday, I wasn't entirely honest when, um..."

Light, out of the corner of his eye, noticed Haruki walking into the kitchen to get something. Haruki glanced at Light and L. _Crap, it'll be ten times harder if he's looking,_ thought Light. He swallowed.

Light lowered his voice and positioned his back toward the kitchen, bending over a little to meet L's posture. "Um, so I'm not entirely... _straight...?_ "

"Straightforward?" said L. "What is it you're not entirely straightforward about?"

 _Damn you, L,_ thought Light. He sighed. "No, the thing is..." Light turned and glanced toward the kitchen. Haruki was still there. Light was trying to time things so Haruki would be back in the living room before he completely spilled his guts to L. "It's about my heart's desire."

"Oh?" said L.

Light glanced again at Haruki in the kitchen. He decided to turn the question on L to stretch for time. "What's your heart's desire, Ryuga?"

"Well, it's not so much a desire as a regret, but I wish I had brought chocolates."

"Oh, right," said Light, rubbing his forehead. "We had Oreos, but we ran out of them last time. We do have chips, though."

L just looked at Light with a blank face.

"Anyway," said Light as he glanced again at the kitchen. Haruki left for the living room. Light sighed. "I do appreciate your—" Light gestured vaguely, trying to find the right words. "—skills..."

"I am quite skillful," said L. "Is this what you wanted to say?"

"No. Um, I, uh..." _Why is this so hard?_ thought Light.

L's phone vibrated. "Hold on." L took his phone out and answered it. "Really? I'll be right out."

"What was that?" asked Light.

"Watari says they found a new Kira tape. They're analyzing it right now. I need to return to task force headquarters."

"I can come with you!"

"Light, I should come clean. I never inhaled the marijuana smoke. You, on the other hand, are high as a kite, and you'll be fired from the team if you show up like this, especially on your first day. I don't want that, and neither do you."

"Ryuga, I think..." Light paused to take a mental assessment of himself, but knew that L's reasoning was unassailable. "I think you're right. I'll walk home."

"I have to go now, Light, but if there's something you wanted to tell me, you have ten seconds." L stared at Light.

Light froze. His heart beat rapidly, and his mouth was dry. He tried to force out the words. "I... want..." Light sighed. "Nothing. I'm fine. I'll... see you tomorrow."

"Okay, Light. See you tomorrow." L spoke these words with ease, and walked with just as much ease past Light, into the kitchen, and toward the door exiting the house.

Light leaned on the wall and sighed as L opened the door.

But before L stepped outside, he turned back toward Light. "Are you sure there was nothing you wanted to tell me?" L grinned.

Light smiled. "Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow."

"I look forward to it, Light."

L and Light waved goodbye to each other. L left.

 _Well, things didn't go according to plan,_ thought Light, sighing with relief. _And yet I feel strangely happy. Is this what it feels like when you go insane?_ Light giggled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: This fic was originally going to be called "Death Grenade". Light would discover a mysterious box of grenades with instructions that whoever you threw the grenades at would (probably) die. L would be unable to solve the puzzle, even if Light was always suspiciously close to the scene of the crime, but would harbor irrational prejudices about Light, thinking that he's the kind of preppie asshole that would be into Vampire Weekend and Wes Anderson movies. But at some point I remembered that a guy I had a crush on in high school, basically a good student, had smoked pot, and the fic's focus changed.


	8. Frivolous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L returns to task force headquarters, discussing things with Watari. Light returns home, discussing things with Ryuk. Light tries once again to convince L to hang out.

L left Light's friend's house and entered a limo driven by Watari. They rode away, and Watari briefed him on the contents of the new Kira tape.

"This almost feels like a waste," said L. "The new Kira tape just acknowledges our airing of the police non-compliance tape. That hardly merits me going all the way back to task force headquarters."

"We can turn around if you'd like?" said Watari.

"No, that's fine. There will be more opportunities to profile Light later."

They rode in silence for a while.

Watari spoke. "You might want to remove the odor from your clothes when we get back."

"Of course," said L. "For what it's worth, I did not inhale, but in the future I may need to actually consume some of this substance to gain Light's trust and form a connection with him."

"Or you two could play on the Nintendo."

L glared at the back of Watari's head but chose not to respond to Watari's sarcasm.

* * *

It was dark, and Light was walking the rest of the way to his house when Ryuk swooped in to accompany him. Light just looked straight ahead.

"So, how did your plan go?" asked Ryuk.

"I don't know. It's complicated," muttered Light.

"Oh? But I thought you said your plan was 'foolproof in its simplicity'."

"Well, it's complicated, because it is, alright?"

"So things didn't go well, huh."

Light gritted his teeth. "I didn't say _that_ , I just said it's complicated!"

"So what's your plan for tomorrow?"

"Same as today, and hope for the best."

"Repeating a failed strategy twice, huh? That's one way to do things."

Light glared straight ahead. "It didn't _fail_. I made progress."

"Progress in what? Confessing your _love_ to him?"

Light let out an exasperated sigh. "It isn't _love_ , it's just some _feelings_ that might leak out if I'm not in control of myself, whether it's because I'm under the influence of something, or... because feelings sometimes develop into something stronger, to the point where I'm no longer myself. I'm choosing to address this directly now rather than leaving this uncertainty for later. Of course, the overall goal is to make a better connection with L, so I have more control over the Kira investigation, or at least foresight over where it might lead."

They continued walking for a bit before Ryuk continued. "So you made progress, huh?"

"A little bit."

"But not enough?"

"It's complicated."

* * *

"So I'm positive Light has a thing for me," said L, still in the back seat of the limo Watari was driving. "The poor guy couldn't quite get out the words, but it was clear what it was he was trying to say."

"If you say so," said Watari.

L paused and pursed his lips. "Watari, you know that I value your opinions very much. I am curious how you view the situation that we're in."

Watari took a breath. "Well, Ryuzaki, I think your attention to Light is not entirely... unbiased."

L paused. "Go on..."

Watari took another breath. "Imagine you were an outsider, visiting our team, and just days after Ukita and two police officers are killed, you see a team member take time off to go smoke pot with another team member. Wouldn't that concern you? Light may very well prove himself invaluable to our investigation, and his instincts about the possibility of a Second Kira may be right, but..."

"But Light is also a suspect," said L, "and it's important to monitor him. Remember, if he's Kira, it would explain the deaths of Ray Pember and the other FBI agents, as well as Pember's fiancée Naomi Misora. Furthermore, ordinary surveillance by cameras has proven ineffective at uncovering Kira. If Light is Kira, the only way we'd be able to know is by getting to know him intimately."

"Okay," said Watari, "but let's consider how it looks to the rest of the team. They heard you announce that you think Light made a pass at you. And, of course, you also told them that you're gay. Now you're spending a lot more time with him, not to mention fawning praise on him for his deductions. My concern is that people won't necessarily assume this interest is professional. I mean, everyone can see that he's a good-looking young man, and it's natural to make assumptions about a gay detective focusing his interest on him rather than someone else."

"First," said L, "we can't start second-guessing ourselves based on concerns about how people _might_ act. If we know we're right, then we must act like we're right. If we know we're undertaking a reasonable strategy, then we should continue doing so. To respond to people's irrational concerns as if solving the Kira case were about politics rather than logic would be absurd."

"Sure, I understand that."

"And second, it may be necessary to seduce Light."

"Excuse me?"

"The stakes in the Kira case could not be higher. Whatever Kira's power is, it's one of the most dangerous weapons a human has ever had. We should not needlessly limit our investigative arsenal."

Watari sighed. "Ryuzaki, that would be a conflict of interest, and I, for one, do not believe you would reach the conclusion that seduction would be necessary if you were truly unbiased."

"Let's not jump to conclusions. I merely said that seduction _may_ be necessary. Currently, though, I believe its employment would be premature."

"Regardless, you have asked for my opinion, and I have given it to you."

"And I am most grateful for that, Watari. I will keep it in mind."

* * *

The next morning, the response tape that Light and the rest of the investigation team worked on had been sent out to air on the evening newscasts. The team continued analyzing the evidence at L's hotel suite. That afternoon, Light joined the group. Some time later, around 4 P.M., L decided to check out the array of snacks in the suite's kitchenette. Light followed.

"I should remind Watari to get some white chocolate," muttered L to Light.

"So, Ryuzaki," said Light, leaning against the counter, "it's a shame you had to leave early yesterday. If things go smoothly today, perhaps we should hang out again tonight?"

L had been expecting Light to ask this, but Watari's remarks left him apprehensive about hanging out with Light again so soon. "Light, could you come over here?" L asked as he moved in front of the fridge, a spot hidden from view from the rest of the hotel suite.

Light followed L and waited for him to speak.

"Light," L said softly, "we must remember that Ukita and two police officers have _died_ because of this new Kira. We cannot afford to be frivolous."

"Of course," said Light, "but you yourself said you didn't want to wait until you're dead to... you know, have fun."

 _Presumably, Light is being vague because he thinks he might be recorded,_ thought L. _There's got to be at least one camera around here. I'll have to check up on that later._

Light continued, scratching the back of his head. "You also said you were looking forward to hearing what I had to say."

"What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Are you interested in hearing what I have to say?"

"Yes."

"Then perhaps we should hang out sometime, perhaps tonight, and discuss this."

"Light," said L as he positioned himself so Light was between L and the fridge. L smiled. "Surely you would agree that an investigator shouldn't take suggestions from the person they're investigating?"

"I'm also a team member, though, and whether I'm a suspect or an investigator, it makes sense for you to get to know me better. Isn't that why you hung out with me yesterday?" Light grinned.

 _Light's getting awfully smug,_ thought L. _I'll have to push back._ "Light, as I said, we cannot afford to be frivolous. For the time being, we must put all of our focus on stopping the Second Kira."

As L said this, he stepped toward Light, and gestured with his hand, palm out, for emphasis.

At the same time, though, Light stepped forward so he wouldn't be boxed between L and the fridge, and L inadvertantly touched Light's chest with his fingertips.

This was more aggressive than L intended, but it made Light stop, so L kept his hand there.

Then Light stepped forward some more, and L put his hand flat on Light's chest to gently push him back toward the fridge.

Light moved back a little, but L's hand still rested on Light's chest.

Light attempted to move L back a little by gently pressing on L's lower ribs with both hands.

L resisted and leaned forward, now putting both hands on Light's chest for balance. _Ooh, he's shivering,_ thought L, and he also heard Light's breathing.

It was now clear to L what was really going on, and he slid into Light's grip, nudging Light's arms apart with his arms, and met Light's lips with his. Light did not resist. After a couple of slow pecks, L probed gently with his tongue, and met Light's in return.

They kissed tenderly for half a minute, before L broke the kiss to avoid getting caught. L glanced around to see if anyone was coming, then returned his attention to the stupid-happy grin on Light's face.

"Are you sure you don't want to hang out tonight?" said Light. "Maybe at my place?"


	9. Machines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light discusses what happened with Ryuk, and L discusses things with Matsuda.

Early the next morning, the sky was gradually progressing through lighter shades of blue, and Light lay face-down on his bed, alone and in his pajamas. He managed to get a few hours of restless sleep, filled with incoherent dreams and impulses. Light had just one productive thought, which led him to get out of bed and walk to the drawer with his notebook that Sayu had found earlier (the one filled with personal poems, artwork, and miscellania.) He brought the notebook to his desk and turned on the desk lights. He opened the notebook and flipped through it, finding near the front a poem he wrote when he was 14:

I kneel before my prince, my eager lips  
Say yes, my fingers curl into his jeans  
He takes control, his hands they leave his hips  
And grip my shoulders, fueling our machines  
...

Light remembered something else he did when he was 14, when the future seemed vague but full of expectation. Now that this future was finally coming into focus, Light figured now was probably the best possible time to do it.

He shut off the lights and closed his notebook, then backed away from his desk and knelt down on the carpeted floor of his bedroom. He raised his hand in front of him. His fingers were probably sufficiently clean, he thought, but it wasn't in the spirit of what he was about to do to care. He turned his palm toward his face, though it was still too dark to clearly see. Light stiffened his index and middle fingers together, braced against each other and slightly curved up, and he pointed them toward his mouth. He stuck out his tongue and licked the tip of his fingers. After a few enticing licks, coating the bottom of his fingers with spit, he opened his mouth wide and took his two fingers inside, being careful not to brush his teeth against his fingers. He moved his fingers into and out of his mouth, keeping suction with his lips the whole time. He was forming a tent in his pajama pants, but his dominant hand was occupied so he ignored it, his other hand just rubbing his thigh. He kept at it, finger-fucking his mouth, and he started to focus less on technique than on imagining L's dick, which could very well be hours from entry. Light started to moan softly, wondering if the vibrations would be felt on L's dick.

"Wow. Should I even ask what you're doing?" said Ryuk.

Light stopped, removed his fingers from his mouth, and turned his head toward Ryuk's dimly lit figure. Light wiped his fingers on his pajamas, walked over to the light switch, and flipped it on. "Good morning, Ryuk. Oh, I have something for you." Light walked over to a plastic bag on his desk with five apples in it and opened it up. "You can have two now, and three after I discuss something with you."

"Okay!" Ryuk quickly gobbled up two of the apples. 

Light sat down in his chair and faced Ryuk. "Have you ever considered knocking?"

"No. You humans are like pets to me. Would you knock to enter a room with a dog in it? It's absurd. I've seen everything you could possibly do multiple times already. Well, mostly. I admit the inventiveness of you humans can still surprise me sometimes."

Light stretched his arms and leaned back. "So, anyway, I guess you could say I was busy yesterday. I, uh, kissed L."

"Ooh!"

Light smiled. "So you are interested!"

"Don't get the wrong idea. I love seeing how the plans you humans make devolve into chaos, but the kiss itself does nothing for me."

Light chuckled. "Well, it did a lot to me. I've felt almost... tingly since I made out with him yesterday. I've been unable to focus, I have trouble sleeping, I've been... aroused pretty much non-stop since then, and weirdest of all, I can't come. At least, not last night. I get hard easily enough, but for whatever reason I had difficulty actually coming."

"Is this going somewhere?" asked Ryuk.

Light pointed toward the plastic bag with the three remaining apples.

"I see," said Ryuk. He sat down, cross-legged on the floor, and propped his head up with his hand.

"Anyway, L certainly seemed to feel something too. The first time we made out was kind of by accident. I was trying to get out of his way, and he was trying to— I forget what he did exactly, but he touched me briefly, then longer, and I touched him, and soon enough I guess the urge to kiss me must have overpowered him." Light smiled. "But that was just for, basically, seconds. I mean, this was at task force head quarters, and we were basically hidden in front of the fridge, but we couldn't do it for too long or else we'd get caught. So L just says we should get back to work, and we do, but the next time L gets up to get a chocolate, I follow him, and we kiss again for a minute or so, and then we do that a couple more times, and later I follow him into the bathroom, and we make out for like twenty minutes. I'm surprised none of the other task members caught us. I'm even more surprised L did it. But ultimately, L tells me it would seem too suspicious to hang out with me last night, so we didn't do anything beyond making out. That was probably for the best. I felt pretty tense last night, and as I mentioned, I had some difficulty coming, even from my own hand."

Ryuk just looked at him blankly, still propping his head up with his hand. 

"Regardless, it's only a matter of time before L's defenses crumble entirely."

* * *

Later that morning, the Kira investigation team continued their analysis at the hotel suite they were using for their headquarters. Light was still attending classes. Matsuda was looking through case files for suspicious deaths when L approached him. 

"Matsui, could you follow me?" said L.

"Uh, okay, Ryuzaki," said Matsuda. 

They walked toward the bedroom part of the suite, far enough away from the other team members that they wouldn't be overheard. 

"Matsui," said L, "it is important that the Kira investigation team have all the pertinent facts available to them, but what I'm about to discuss is a sensitive matter, so I've chosen to only share this information with certain individuals. If the rest of the team needs to know this information, I trust that you'll share it with them, but until that time comes I trust you can keep this information confidential. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ryuzaki. Of course I will keep this confidential."

L sighed and looked down before meeting Matsuda's gaze. "I have engaged in certain... sexual behaviors with Light Asahi."

Matsuda smiled incredulously. "With all due respect, Ryu—"

"To be more specific," interrupted L, "we engaged in tongue kissing with each other."

"Okay."

"We have not yet engaged in oral or ana—"

"You don't have to tell me everything!"

"Nonsense. Details are always important in detective-work."

"Sure, but I just don't see how these details could possibly be important to the Kira investigation."

"Matsui, I... fear I may eventually be compromised."

Matsuda raised his eyebrows.

L continued. "If so, the rest of the team must be able to recognize that I'm compromised before it's too late."

"But... how would I know you were compromised?"

"Well, for one thing, my reasoning would no longer make sense."

"Um...." Matsuda doubted if he were up to the task of checking L's reasoning, but agreed anyway. "Alright, Ryuzaki. I'll keep that in mind."

"To be clear, I don't believe I am currently compromised, but we don't know entirely how Kira operates, and I cannot deny that I have acted differently than usual around Light."

"Didn't you say that Kira needs a name and a face to kill, or to control people's behavior before they die? Except, I suppose, for the Second Kira."

"Those are good points, and I am simply saying we should not jump to conclusions, either about Kira's requirements for killing, or about myself being compromised. We should merely consider all possibilities."

L stopped talking and looked to the side. Matsuda turned and noticed that Light had entered the suite. 

"Anyway," continued L, "I will keep you informed of the details of my interactions with Light. Excuse me."

"Uh, alright, Ryuzaki," said Matsuda as L walked into the bathroom, which was adjacent to the bedroom area, and closed the door.

Matsuda returned to his work area at one of the suite's desks, but noticed that Light was entering the bathroom that L was in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN!
> 
> Anyway, it's weird that the task force meets in hotel suites, but we never see a bed.


	10. Leaky Faucet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light joins L in the bathroom of the task force headquarters hotel suite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but I've been swamped with work for the past couple of weeks, to the point where I've been procrastinating on things I need to do by doing other things I also need to do. Anyway, here it is.

L entered the bathroom and closed the door. He leaned back against the sink, watching the door expectantly. He took a few breaths to calm down.

The door opened.

 _Here he comes,_ thought L.

Light stepped in. He smiled at L. 

L suppressed a grin, mostly. 

Light carefully closed and locked the door, then walked toward L. Once in front of L, Light paused. L noticed how the lighting around the mirror lit Light's face evenly from all directions, but this became moot as Light moved his face into L's shadow as he lunged in for a kiss. L leaned back as Light's lips touched his. L regained his balanced and pushed back toward Light, but Light asserted himself with his tongue. L giggled in spite of himself, and mentally scolded himself. Light was already taking more liberties than he had before; after rubbing his hands on L's sides, his fingers had slipped under L's shirt and his thumbs poked into the waistband of L's pants, although not quite toward his butt since it was pinned against the sink. No matter; Light gently pulled L away from the sink and moved his hands to the small of L's back, and then to L's butt over his clothes, and then with his thumbs inside L's clothes. 

L expected Light to press his body against L's—he did so the last time they made out in the bathroom—but instead Light moved slightly to the side, still kissing, and moved his hand to L's front, where L's dick was straining against his pants. L had long given up on resisting, understanding that there was little to be gained from half-measures, but he was a little startled by how Light seemed almost possessive of his dick. Light wouldn't let go of it, emboldened by what he was learning about its shape and feel. 

Light separated lips from L and ducked a little to move to L's neck. He had done this last time, too. This time, though, he kept moving lower, kissing the bit of L's chest that was exposed below his neck. 

_Is Light really going to..._ thought L, but his thoughts were interrupted by Light's kisses, which were now descending down L's shirt, straight down his chest.

"Light, is this really the time to..."

Light stood up and brought his lips to L's ear. "I want to please you," he whispered. 

L said nothing as Light sank back down, briefly kissing L's T-shirt above his chest and stomach. L felt Light's nose nuzzled against the part of his shirt above his happy trail. Light kneeled down, and kissed the bulge in L's jeans. L couldn't help but admire this beast in Light that had been unleashed. But Light wasn't satisfied with the bulge, and proceeded to unbuckle L's belt. L grinned as he looked down; Light breathed heavily and was focusing intently on the task at hand... which he fumbled with. L waited patiently, and wondered if he should intervene so Light wouldn't accidentally trigger the emergency signal on his belt buckle. 

"Let me help you—"

"I got it," said Light. He fiddled some more, and finally managed to open and pull out L's belt, which he placed on the floor next to him. With some effort, Light managed to unbutton and unzip L's fly, and L shifted forward to help Light pull down his pants. Light did so, exposing L's briefs. Light gave L's bulge a quick peck before taking L's briefs off as well, freeing L's dick. L turned his hips slightly to avoid hitting Light's face with his dick. Light gripped the base of L's dick with his fingers, and just stared at it. L was beginning to feel a little self-conscious. Then Light licked the tip of it, removing the bead of pre-come that had formed there. L grinned. Light gripped L's dick and jacked it off with a few firm yanks.

"Not so hard!" hissed L. 

"Sorry," murmured Light. He lightly gripped the base of L's dick and formed suction around the end, pulling back with his head. 

"Uh, Light, maybe you should open your mouth wide, bring your mouth around my penis as far back as you can, then close your lips around it. And don't focus so much on the suction."

Light removed his lips from L's dick and narrowed his eyes at L. "Okay..."

 _Clearly Light doesn't like being told what to do,_ though L. _But he needs to recognize the nature of the beast._

Light did as L suggested, taking most of L's dick in his mouth. 

L gripped the sides of the sink, closed his eyes, and smiled, knowing that Light couldn't easily see him smile while sucking his dick. _Oh, yes,_ thought L. _He's got it._ As Light's head bobbed back and forth, L was no longer worried about the time. Surely it would be suspicious for Light and L to be in the bathroom for too long while the task force was working, but at this rate it would only take a few more minutes. 

Light removed his mouth from L's dick, then moved his jaw from side to side as he stretched his face. 

"It can take practice to perform oral sex without overexerting your jaw," said L, leaning over Light. "But you'll get it. I can see that you're a natural." L brought his hand to Light's head, fiddling with some hair on the side, then plowing his fingers into Light's hair and tousling it like he was a little kid.

Light glared at L again, then resumed sucking his dick. 

L brought his other hand to Light's head, and gently rubbed his hair, and moved his hands down to his face and shoulders and back up again while Light continued bobbing back and forth. _This is too good,_ thought L. _I can't keep this up._

"Light," L whispered, "I'm going to come soon."

True, L didn't ask if Light wanted him to come in his mouth, but Light didn't seem to mind. Good. _I wonder if he spits or swallows,_ though L. 

It only took a few more motions from Light's head. "I'm coming," whispered L. L made a few quick thrusts, trying not to thrust too much and choke Light, and fumbling with his hands for something satisfying to grab; he settled for Light's shirt near his shoulders, which he balled in a fist. Then he made one final thrust and came. He felt his dick pulsating in Light's mouth. He sighed in spasms, and looked down at Light, who had stopped bobbing back and forth. As his orgasm waned, L brought his hand down to take his dick, but Light put his hand there instead, squeezing out the last bits of come from L's dick. Then Light slid the dick out of his mouth, calmly and without expression. 

_I guess he swallowed,_ thought L. 

Light stood up, still expressionless, and straighted out his clothing. L put his dick back in his briefs, zipped up and buckled his pants, then reached for his belt. Before he could, though, Light's hand reached out and touched L's reaching arm. 

_The poor guy didn't come,_ thought L, _but we really don't have time to get him off right now._

Still, Light moved his body close to L's, and leaned in for a kiss, and L tilted his head to accommodate. L pressed his lips to Light's. Light probed with his tongue, and L opened his mouth a little. 

_What?!?_ thought L, but he soon recognized the bitter, salty taste and the creamy texture, as Light's tongue ushered spoonfuls of come into L's mouth. L squirmed a little, but Light kept their lips sealed. Then, Light separated their lips, and L, stunned, swallowed his own come. Light smiled.

"We should get back to work," said Light.

"Indeed," said L.

L put on his belt and they adjusted their clothes. 

Light walked to the door and opened it, and found Aizawa standing there. Aizawa raised his eyebrows when he noticed both L and Light were inside. 

"Light," said L. 

Light turned to L.

"Thank you again for fixing that leaky faucet. I can't tell you how annoying it would have been to see that constant drip, drip, drip everytime I came in here."

"Anytime. But make sure you alert the hotel staff before you leave."

"Of course, Light."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't tousle Light's hair.


	11. Bonsai Trees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L performs an in-depth interview of Light.

Around 10pm that night, Light returned home. He entered his room, closed and locked the door, turned off the light, then flopped face down onto his bed.

 _Thank God it's Friday,_ thought Light. _At least I won't have to go to class tomorrow._ He stretched and grinded his hips into his bed.

Just then, he got a text from L.

 **Ryuzaki:** We will need to do an in-depth interview tomorrow for your continued presence on the Kira investigation team. Let's discuss details tomorrow morning.

 _Speak of the devil._ Light smirked. He got up, put his phone away, and got some tissues from his desk. He laid back down in his bed. He took off his shirt and unbuckled his pants. He squeezed his dick, which was getting hard again. He then took his pants and boxers off entirely.

 _L must've enjoyed the taste of his own cum_ , thought Light. _Bet he'd like a dick in his ass, too. Bet that's why he wants to meet with me, so he can ride my dick._ Light stretched and thrusted his hips as he jacked off. _Or maybe he wants my ass on his dick. Probably wouldn't last long. He'd fill my ass up with his cum within a minute!_

Light alternated between these fantasies, and felt himself about to come. He put a tissue on his stomach, then continued jacking off, rubbing his chest, and thrusting his hips.

_Fuck me, L._

Light breathed in and out rapidly, and then he sighed and smiled as the orgasm washed over him. Some cum hit his shoulder. Lots more pooled on his stomach, some dripping down his side. _Ah, crap,_ he thought as he grabbed the tissues he brought with him to the bed, which were not quite enough to mop up all of the fluid. He stood up, cradling his used, gooey tissues in his hand, and walked over to the light switch to turn on the light so he could find the trash bin. He used his elbow to flip the switch.

Ryuk stared at him from the center of his room.

"And how long have you been standing there?" asked Light as he walked around Ryuk to his trash bin. He dumped the tissues and took more from his desk to clean up the gooey mess on his abs and pubes.

"Where else would I be?" said Ryuk. "So, what's new?"

"Fuck off," Light muttered. "I'm too tired to talk right now."

"Suit yourself."

* * *

The next morning, minutes after Light arrived at the hotel room where the Kira investigation was taking place, L approached him.

"Light," said L, "I should let you know that your continued presence as a member of the Kira investigation team is contingent on an extended interview. I request that the interview be held today." L stood and stared at Light.

"That's fine with me," said Light.

"I have already booked a hotel room."

Light nodded.

"Can you bring some of the stuff with you?" asked L. "Edible stuff if you have it?"

Light smirked. "I think I can work that out. But it'll be a few hours."

* * *

Soon, Light stood on the corner of a non-descript intersection, near a restaurant that wouldn't be open until evening. Over the next ten minutes, other individuals arrived and waited nearby, paying little mind to each other. Finally, a man arrived, and everyone got in line in front of him. When it was Light's turn, he paid the man 5000 yen in exchange for a drawstring bag.

* * *

Light and L arrived at the hotel room that L had booked. This was an ordinary hotel room with a single bed.

"So," said L, "what did you bring with you?"

"A bonsai tree and a brownie," said Light, holding up the bag, "as well as my usual stuff."

"Why the bonsai tree?"

"Well, as you might know, I'm taking a biology course. Now, one is rarely an academic success if one limits oneself to the subject matter directly presented in the course. I take my studies seriously, so I'm pursuing extracurricular research on biological topics—"

L stared blankly.

"—and obviously, the action of cannabinoids in medical and non-medical contexts is, currently, a hot topic. It is fortunate for the cause of research that there is this generous benefactor, an anonymous cannabis researcher who has agreed to donate their cannabinoids to those who request it, in this case, in the form of a brownie." Light held up his bag.

L nodded and smirked.

"And out of gratitude for their generosity, the least I could do is to purchase this bonsai tree." Light took it out of the bag and showed it to L.

"Hmm. Your bonsai tree is minimally exceptional. As all are, I suppose."

Light returned the bonsai tree to his bag.

"Anyway," said L, "I brought some cannabis-infused edibles of my own." L knelt down to get something out of his suitcase, and retrieved a tin of chocolates. The tin had writing from a European language Light didn't recognize.

Light furrowed his eyebrows. "What's the dosage of those chocolates?"

"20 milligrams each. Don't worry, I don't plan on eating all of them, or even all of one of them."

"So why'd you ask me to bring some edibles of my own?"

"In case you'd try to poison me."

Light lifted his eyebrows, then let out a laugh. "Ryuzaki, I would never try to—"

"Of course you wouldn't... unless you were Kira." L glared. Then he continued. "And even if you're not Kira, I think you'd agree that precautions are warranted regardless."

Light shrugged. "Ryuzaki, I continue to be impressed by your ability to think three steps ahead. So... did you just invite me here for us to try edibles?"

L smiled. "That's just part one of this interview."

Light walked over to the chocolates. "These look pretty professional. I wonder where you got them."

"Perhaps you should try your brownie before you try my chocolates." L was no longer smiling.

"I see where you're coming from," said Light. "You want me to taste-test my own edibles."

"Yes. To be clear, I don't think it's _likely_ you would try to poison me with an edible that you just purchased today—"

"I didn't _purchase_ it," said Light, raising a finger, "it was a _gift_. Legally, that's an important distinction."

"Regardless, I just want to be thorough, and remove the... maybe 1 percent chance that your edibles may not be constituted as advertised."

"Fair enough." Light turned toward his bag and took out the brownie. _How much of this brownie should I take?_ he thought. _Dosage is always so complicated. There's tolerance. I've been smoking pretty frequently, lately, so my tolerance is probably pretty high. But too much is never good, and I want to err on the low side so I'm still reasonably sharp. And then there's the question of the true amount of THC in this supposedly 100mg brownie, not to mention CBD content and what I ate for lunch, whose effects on the high are always a matter of dispute. A quarter should do._ Light tore about a quarter of the brownie off and ate it as L watched. He swallowed it and put the rest of the brownie back in its ziploc bag.

L took a multitool out of his pocket and unfolded a small knife, which he used to cut one of his chocolates in half. Then he ate it. He wiped the knife clean and put the multitool back in his pocket.

Light watched him intently. He walked up to L, slid his arms around his body, and kissed him, partly to verify that L did indeed swallow the candy. "So," said Light, "what's the next part of the interview?"

"A physical exam," deadpanned L with a grin.

* * *

About an hour and a half later, L was naked, face-down on the bed, feeling the weight of Light's body on top of him, a body that thrusted, grinding its dick against L's butt crack. He felt Light run his fingers throught L's hair. L had already come, thanks to Light's mouth, but he was hard again, and he was smiling right up until Light stopped.

"So," said Light, softly, "did you happen to bring any lube with you?"

"And condoms?"

"Uh, sure—I mean, yes, of course."

"Perhaps we should wait on that. I want to take things a little slower."

"Uh, okay." Light paused. "Then maybe I can just dry-hump you until I come?" Light gently rubbed up against L as he asked this.

L paused for suspense. "Okay."

Light thrusted against L, harder and harder, and rubbing his entire body against L's, until just ten seconds later, he thrusted one last time and squeezed L. L felt some cum squirt onto his lower back, joining the sweat that coated both of their skin.

"Ah," groaned Light. He sighed. "Don't worry, I'll get us cleaned up."

A short time later, they had gotten cleaned up as best they could. Light put his clothes back on before rejoining L in bed.

"I still feel sober," said L, looking around. "I wonder if I took enough. How long does it take for edibles to have their effect?"

"Anywhere from half an hour to two hours or more," said Light. "Maybe you just need to be patient. I'll find something to watch on TV."

"Perhaps I should go ahead and get back to being dressed," said L. He stood up and found his underwear and pants. He put them on. He paused.

 _I am *wearing* these pants,_ thought L.

L then picked up his shirt from the back of a chair and put it on too. He paused.

"I think I should go ahead and take a shower," said L.

"Okay," said Light.

* * *

L walked the short distance to the bathroom. He urinated, then stepped toward the sink to wash his hands.

"Aah!" he yelped. _Oh, it's just my reflection._

 _Okay, I'm starting to feel its effects,_ continued L.

_My muscles do feel a little warm._

_I should wash my hands._

L turned on the sink and started to wash his hands, but then he heard something.

_Someone's outside. And they seems upset. Do they know something?_

L listened carefully. He turned off the sink. The voices stopped.

_Hmmmmmmmm..._

L dried off his hands and exited the bathroom.

* * *

L looked at the suspect in the Kira investigation laying in their bed, watching a nature documentary. "I think I'm starting to feel its effects," said L. _And my deductive abilities are definitely dropping as well._

"I am _definitely_ feeling its effects as well," said Light. "That brownie piece must've been pretty potent. My heart's beating a little rapidly. You want to put on some music? One of the best things about being high is your perception of music."

"Uh, sure."

L took his laptop out of his suitcase and set it up. He opened Winamp, loaded the mp3 file for Ravel's Bolero, and played it. As it started, he carried the laptop to the bed, set it on his stomach as he lay down next to Light, and let it play.

"Hey, turn it up," said Light.

L turned up the music.

They listened silently.

"You're right," said L. "It's like I can hear every instrument clearly." L listened some more, bringing the laptop (and its speakers) closer to his head. "And I don't really mind that it's loud. I could fall asleep like this."

Light leaned over and rested his head on L's chest, and looked at the nature documentary on TV. "I hope those hyenas don't get those gnus," said Light.

"Uh huh."

"I'm feeling a buzz. What about you?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling a buzz too."

They listened some more. Bolero finished.

"Are there birds chirping outside?" asked L.

"That's just the TV," said Light.

L slowly waved his head back and forth.

"You feeling it?" asked Light.

L smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light takes his studies seriously.


End file.
